Controlling device for elevators



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. S. E. STOKES. CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS. No. 489.440.

Patented Oct. 28, 1890.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. S. E. STOKES. CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS. No. 439,440.

Patented Oct. 28, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL E. STOKES, OF- PHILADELPIIIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 489,440, dated October 28, 1890.

Application filed May 1, 1889. Serial No. 309,184. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. STOKES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Valve-Controlling Devices for Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in starting, stopping, and reversing gear for elevators, in which the attendant on the cab or car controls the main change or reversing valve or auxiliary or pilot valve by simply operating a hand-wheel or lever.

The object of my invention is to so connect the hand-wheel on the cab with the controlling mechanism-z'. a, the valve or leverthat the two ends of the ropes, chains or bands connecting the hand-wheel with the controlling mechanism will be stationary, and the slack caused by the raising or lowering of the cab will be taken up by intermediate mechanism mounted on the piston-rod, as fully described hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view illustrating my invention in its simplest form, the rope passing over a sheave on the head of the piston-rod of a vertical cylinder. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the wheels, sheaves, and ropes, with the bearings for the several parts omitted. Fig.

3 is a view showing my invention applied to a horizontal cylinder for operating an elevator-car; and Fig. 4 is a view also showing my invention applied to a horizontal hydraulic elevator-cylinder, in which the lifting-rope of the car also performs the function of controlling the valves.

Referring to Fig. 1, A is the elevator-well; B, the cab; C, the rope, by which the elevator is raised, said rope passing over a sheave C, as usual, and connected by any suitable lifting mechanism.

D is the controlling device for the elevator, which may be either in the form of a threeway valve, as shown in the figures, or in the form of a clutch or lever, depending altogether upon the style of elevator used.

E is the shaft, carrying in the present instance a toothed drum F on the outside of the cab, and on the inside a suitable hand-wheel The two portions of the rope also passes around two sheaves J J on an axle, which is mounted on the piston-rod M of the cylinder M. Both ends of the rope then pass to the drum K, to which they are secured, as shown in Fig. 2, one to one side and the other to the other side of the drum. Any movement of the wheel G will be transmitted to the drum Gthrough the rope I, and as each portion of the rope passes around a loose sheave J or K the friction is considerably reduced. Therope in the present in stance is double for moving the valve in both directions; but it will be understood that I do not limit myself to this double rope, as a single rope may be used for moving the valve in one direction and a weight on the valve moving it in the opposite direction, although I prefer the double rope, as shown in Fig. 2.

Other forms of mechanism or devices for holding the chain or rope in position on the wheels F and K may also be employed without departing from my invention. It will thus be seen that the portion of the rope pass ing around the sprocket-wheelFis stationary as regards any motion of the car, while the portion attached to the wheel K is also stationary; but as the car is raised or lowered, the end of the rope carried by the car will conse quently be raised or lowered with the car, and to allow for this movement sufficient slack must be given to the rope. In all cases the car moves at the same proportionate rate as the piston-rod M. Consequently by mounting the sheaves J on the head of the piston-rod the slack of the rope will be taken up and given out as the car descends or ascends, and the controlling-valve can be moved by the open ator simply turning the hand-wheel at any point during the ascent or descent of the cab. If, for instance, a hydraulic elevator is used, the valve for controlling the motive liquid would be simplya three-way piston-valve, the plston being connected to the wheel K, so that when the operator moves the hand-wheel G in one direction the valve will be. moved so as to allow the motive liquid to flow above the piston, and consequently raise the cab; but if the hand-wheel is moved in the opposite direction the cab will be lowered, as the motive liquid will flow under the piston; but if the handwheel is moved to a central position the valve wdllikewise be moved to a central position, closmg the valve, and consequently stop the cab at any point required.

I have found in practice that it is objectionable to have sheaves on the car traveling contlnuously over a fixed rope, as the constant motion of the car in time wears not only the rope away, but also the bearings for the sheaves, and these sheaves are generally in such position that they are not accessible without difficulty, and are necessarily made smaller than advisable; but by having the mechanism shown a simple wheel or lever is used on the cab and a simple wheelor lever on the valve-stem, and take-up mechanism between the two ends consisting of a weighted sheave or equivalent to keep the rope taut at all times.

In Fig. 5 I have shown my improvement applied to a horizontal hoisting-cylinder, in which the ropes I pass around sheaves 1-1, over stationary journaled sheaves J, and around stationary journaled sheaves J around movable sheaves J back around sheaves J to the wheel K controlling the valve. In this instance the rope is compounded the same as the hoisting-rope. This compounding of the rope may be carried to a greater extent, depending upon the lift of the elevator.

In Fig. 6 the lifting-rope of the car is used as the valve-controlling rope, the rope passing up over sheaves C at the top of the elevator-shaft, down around sheaves H around sheaves H on a piston-rod of the cylinder, around the sheaves H again, then around the sheaves 1-1 and connected to the lever K, controlling the valve.

I claim as my invention The combination of the valve-controlling rope connected to an operating device on the car and to the valve-operating mechanism, with a take-up pulley carried bythe pistonrod of the operating-cylinder and applied to the rope at a point between the operating device and valve, substantially as specified."

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the-presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL E. STOKES. Witnesses:

HENRY HowsoN, HARRY SMITH. 

